How many spam emails does it take to sell drugs on the Internet?

May 26, 2011Comments Off on How many spam emails does it take to sell drugs on the Internet? Posted in: General Biotechnology

In short? A lot!

As reported by the New York Times, it takes 12.5 million emails to earn $100 in Internet-based Viagra sales. The finding comes from a research group engaged in “spamalytics” — trying to find the mechanisms by which revenues are generated from spam. In their most recent paper they found that 95 percent of credit card transactions for spam-advertised drugs and herbal remedies which they purchased were handled by just three financial companies. It is hoped that targeting these focal-points for spam transactions can remove the revenue potentials and curb spam.